The three member states of the Alliance of Sahel States have announced their immediate withdrawal from the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court, accusing the ICC of practising “selective justice”. The declaration was made simultaneously on Monday in the capitals of Bamako, Niamey and Ouagadougou.
The withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a "sovereign decision," the official statement said, according to news agencies AP, AFP and Reuters, as well as our RFI regional correspondent.
The three countries, led by coup leaders, have a string of grievances against the international court, responsible for trying those accused of genocide and serious crimes.
The joint statement states that "over time," the ICC has transformed itself "into an instrument of neocolonial repression in the hands of imperialism, thus becoming a global example of selective justice".
Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso accuse the ICC of "double standards".
Expected move
The ICC, based in The Hague, is the world’s permanent global tribunal for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The withdrawal was not unexpected, as the junta leaders were brought to power after military coups in the three Sahelian countries.
Since these coups in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, the three countries’ military leaders have abandoned longtime partners, including Europe and the West Africa regional bloc, Ecowas.
Three Sahel nations exit West African bloc as regional politics shift
They have instead established new alliances, mainly with Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin faces an arrest warrant from the ICC over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The withdrawal process from the ICC takes at least a year to complete.
Earlier this year, Hungary also announced its withdrawal.
In March, following a meeting of Malian, Nigerien and Burkinabe ministers, the three juntas announced the upcoming creation of a Criminal and Human Rights Court of the Alliance of Sahel States.
At the same meeting, discussions were launched on the construction of a high-security regional prison to strengthen the fight against terrorism and serious crimes in the Sahel region.
Potential ICC cases
The three countries have been facing deadly violence from jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for years, but the juntas' armies are also accused of crimes against civilians.
Tuareg associations in Mali and Burkina Faso notably filed a complaint in June with the ICC against their nations' armies and the Russian paramilitary group, Africa Corps.
Tuaregs in Mali and Burkina file ICC complaint against armies, Russian allies
The complaint targets the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA), the Burkinabe Forces, and Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps, which recently replaced the Wagner group in Africa.
The charities Imouhagh International, Kel Akal, Diaspora of the United States and the Azawad Solidarity Association accuse them of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The groups say the crimes against humanity and war crimes reported to the prosecutor of the ICC have been committed in Mali and Burkina Faso since 2022.
They point to the use of mercenaries from Africa Corps – the replacement for the former Wagner Group – in the repressive operations carried out by the armies of both countries.
Human Rights Watch and other groups have also accused Islamist militants, as well as the militaries and partner forces of Burkina Faso and Mali, of possible atrocity crimes.
In April, United Nations experts said the alleged summary execution of several dozen civilians by Malian forces may amount to war crimes.
The ICC has had an investigation open in Mali since 2013, over alleged war crimes committed primarily in the northern regions of Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal, which had fallen under militant control.
The investigation was opened following a referral from the government at the time.
(with newswires)
